KIBAALE — One student of Hoima school of Nursing and Midwifery has died, while 30 others are injured following a fatal accident that occurred at Kahyoro village along the Kibaale-Pacwa road on Thursday morning.
David Otabong, the District Police Commander Kibaale has identified the deceased as Josephine Kirabo, a daughter of renowned retired head teacher in Hoima district, Francis Kemara.
He says that Kirabo a Year Two student pursuing comprehensive nursing died immediately after the accident occurred, while the injured were rushed to Kibaale Health Centre 4 before being transferred to Hoima regional referral Hospital for further treatment.
The accident occurred in the wee hours of last night at around 1am involving a Kasamba Coach Bus registration number UAS 887W.
According to Police, 80 students were on board at the time the accident occurred.
Some of the injured students have been identified as Betty Ndagire, Moreen Kalumba, Afra Kukundakwe, Amina Kabuye, Catherine Businge, Sandra Asasira, Jenifer Kasomera and Glorious Asiimwe. Others include; Fortunate Katusiime, Shanita Birungi, Christine Nankya, Loyce Kamusiime, Scovia Kayonzi, Mariam Bulaine, Shadia Mutosi, Judith Acio, Jenifer Asemererwa, Imaculate Birungi, Jovan Nyangoma and Janet Kasubu among others.
Otabong says police has arrested the Kasamba Coach Bus driver Didasi Byenkya 42 as investigations continue, he is currently being detained at Kibaale police station.
According to some of the accident survivors, the cause of the accident was over speeding as others say that the Bus had a mechanical problem that caused the driver to lose control hitting a stone that prompted the bus to overturn several times.
Meanwhile, by 11am when our journalists visited the school premises along the Hoima-Kampala road in Hoima town, a sombre mood had engulfed the school as students sat in the compound as there were no lessons going on.
Abdul Kyadondo, the Acting Guild President and Prime Minister of the school told KDR fm that the students were coming back from field practice from different health facilities in Kibaale and Kakumiro districts at the time the accident occurred.
By the time of filing the story some other students had been referred to Mulago Hospital in Kampala for special treatment.
Efforts to get a comment from the school Principal, Betty Pacutho Angujeru, were futile as her known mobile telephone contacts could not go through.
